Dear Friends,
Greetings in Christ!
As Chapter 16 concluded, Paul and Co (Silas, Timothy, and Dr Luke) were in the Roman colony, Philippi. As Acts 17 opens, they are continuing along the Via Egnatia. First through Amphipolis, north of the Strymonian Gulf; then on to Apollonia, south of Lake Volvi; then on to Thessalonica, on the northern tip of the Thermaic Gulf.
To us, this was the ancient world, but to Paul, it was the modern world. God was speaking again after 400 years of silence. Paul was travelling on a Roman road that stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Bosporus Straight, connecting several Roman colonies. Being fluent in the universal language of Greek served Paul the same as English serves us when we travel today.
Via Egnatia shown in maroon
Paul may have seen the Lion of Amphipolis on his way, an ancient artifact that was lost to time but recently rediscovered early in the 20th Century. There is a landmark in Apollonia called the Stand of the Apostle Paul, where, according to tradition, he taught. Other than the flat rock itself (the Stand), there is not much there except for some plaques and a couple of small shrines. We do not know what Paul’s ministry looked like as they travelled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, as Dr Luke does not tell us.
The Stand of the Apostle Paul in Apollonia
Father, thank You for the ministry of the apostle Paul, and for keeping your promise to preserve his precious Epistles for us. (Ps 12:6f) Your word is more precious than the finest pearls, the most precious diamonds, or anything else this world has to offer. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and give us understanding as we read it, Father, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Acts 17:1-14
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
Dr Luke notably uses ‘they’ here, indicating he stayed behind to pastor the new church in Philippi as Paul and Co continued without him. They will collect Dr Luke again when Paul returns to Philippi on his third mission trip with a new team. (Acts 20:6) The synagogue where Paul preached was probably on the south side of Thessalonica by the port. The Jewish quarter there was destroyed and later rebuilt, then destroyed again in the Fire of 1917.
According to the Jewish Museum of Thessalonica, Thessalonica had a Jewish community from before the time of Paul until the Holocaust. There is an extensive list of Thessalonian Jews who died in the Holocaust at the museum. Most of the survivors left Thessalonica when they returned after the war to find others living in their houses.
List of victims of the Holocaust from Thessalonica (on two opposing walls)
2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ [Messiah].
4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
Paul’s message is received well, but there’s a but:
5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
We keep seeing this word believed in Acts. What did they believe? They believed that Jesus rose from the dead (v 3; Rom 10:9). Whenever the gospel was preached, some believed, but some believed not. Dr Luke does not usually record whether they were ‘good’ people or ‘bad’ people. What mattered was whether or not they believed.
In Thessalonica, the Jews which believed not were moved with envy, for which cause they hired certain lewd fellows of the baser sort — whatever that means, it isn’t good — to stir up trouble and oppose the gospel. Envy, of course, is the same reason they crucified Jesus. (Pr 27:4; Mk 15:10)
6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
Paul and Co were getting quite well-known. While the enemies of the gospel said they turned the world upside down, I say they turned it right-side up. The rulers of the city that Jason and certain brethren were drawn before were probably in the Roman Forum, which was next to the Jewish Quarter. (Like the Lion of Amphipolis, the Roman Forum in Thessalonica was discovered fairly recently by accident in the 1960s.)
Ruins of the Roman Forum in Thessalonica
7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
This is the same accusation they levelled against Jesus, that He was contrary to the decrees of Caesar, and was setting Himself up as King. They accused Jesus of forbidding to give tribute to Caesar (Luke 23:2), which was a false accusation. (Mark 12:17) The title placed above Jesus, showing the accusation against him, said JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. (John 19:19)
8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.
Jason and the other brethren who were arrested had to make bail, but were let go. According to Greek Orthodox tradition, the Vlatades Monastery is associated with the site of Jason’s house.
Entrance to the Vlatades Monastery compound
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
There is a very old synagogue in the Jewish Quarter in Berea that has not held services since World War II. The Jews never returned to Berea after the Holocaust.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
Acts 17:1-14
As our section ends, Paul is getting chased out of town again. My takeaway verse in this section is verse 11. The Bereans were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Verse 12 says Therefore many of them believed. Paul wrote that faith cometh by … the word of God (Rom 10:17), and we see this in the example of the Bereans.
What every Christian wants to hear at the end of his road is Well done, thou good and faithful servant. The Bereans are commended for believing the gospel and searching the Scriptures daily. That tells me this is a good place to start if I want to hear Jesus say Well done, thou good and faithful servant.
We are living in a time of changing ideas and slippery slopes. Accepted scientific ideas are continually being revised and updated. Accepted morals are in a constant state of flux. Yet the Bible has not changed since it was written. It doesn’t have to change because God got it right the first time. Times change, but Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Heb 13:8)
Memorial to Paul in Berea
Prophecy Update: You may have noticed, as I have, that the same old line about UFOs, the same thing I have been hearing for the last thirty years, that some ‘big thing’ is about to be released, has recently ticked up. I believe the reason for this is that Satan does not know when the rapture will be, but he knows it is soon, the same as the rest of us. Therefore, he always wants to be ready to release his story at a moment’s notice. He has made plenty of preparations, with false prophets who say they can predict the day and the hour, with predictive programming in movies like Avengers: Infinity War, so people think aliens did it. The Bible says Satan is transformed into an angel of light (II Cor 11:14). The Bible says Satan is the prince of the power of the air. (Eph 2:2) If you are reading this after the rapture, do not take the bait. We are in heaven, and the alien deception is just that — deception. If you have not yet received Christ as your personal Saviour, pray this prayer: Father in heaven, I am a sinner. I receive your Son as my personal Saviour. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart. Thank You for the precious blood You shed for me on Calvary. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit and take control of my life. I pray this in your holy and precious name, the name above all names. Amen. If you prayed that, you probably already feel something different. That is the Holy Spirit. Jesus lives in your heart now. Read your Bible now and pray for Jesus to give you the next steps. If you do not want to pray that, then,
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
Acts 13:41
PS: If prophecy seems sensational or superfluous to you, consider that Paul started the Thessalonians on prophecy teaching (II Thess 2:5), and he only had three Sabbath days to work with. (Acts 17:2) Prophecy is not everything, but it’s something — something important enough that Paul taught it in his New Believers class. Do you love his appearing? (II Tim 4:8) The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Maranatha.
